gfish: (Default)
gfish ([personal profile] gfish) wrote2006-04-25 11:25 am

kayaking

Looks like [livejournal.com profile] vixyish and I will be joining the UW kayak club this weekend. At $40/year it's a really great deal, and they do rescue classes and group trips. I'm comfortable enough paddling around the lakes here, but I know my limits. Getting some real training for venturing out into the Sound or beyond will be good.

Inspired by that, I just bought a kayak construction manual from these people. It would cost about the same as buying a new one, though my shop space is woefully inadequate. Not that I've ever let that stop me before... The real problem is that if I have a kayak I built myself, I'm going to feel compelled to do something epic in it, like the Mississippi or the Mackenzie.

[identity profile] tithonium.livejournal.com 2006-04-25 06:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Bah. Kayak across the arctic circle. May as well take advantage of global warming, since we've got it.

[identity profile] memegarden.livejournal.com 2006-04-25 06:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Mars Needs Global Warming

[identity profile] tithonium.livejournal.com 2006-04-25 06:43 pm (UTC)(link)
I wish I drank beer, so I could respond with "But how will I keep my beer cold?".

[identity profile] hollyking.livejournal.com 2006-04-25 07:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Liquid nitrogen?

[identity profile] hollyking.livejournal.com 2006-04-25 07:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Excellent! I've been thinking of building a kayak as a way to work into my larger goal of restoring a larger sailboat. ;)

[identity profile] corivax.livejournal.com 2006-04-25 09:29 pm (UTC)(link)
I'd still love to do the Mackenzie with you! But you knew that.

[identity profile] socialistboy.livejournal.com 2006-04-26 02:58 am (UTC)(link)
screw building a kayak, let's build one of these:
Image

[identity profile] gfish.livejournal.com 2006-04-26 03:13 am (UTC)(link)
Oooh, that would be sweet. I really need to get some steam experience.

[identity profile] blackavar.livejournal.com 2006-04-27 12:15 am (UTC)(link)
Actually, there are a couple of companies doing good steam launch hulls, including the Elliot Bay Steam Launch Co. (http://www.steamlaunch.com/) down in Portland. While I prefer sail, personally, a steam launch is also quite nice.

[identity profile] koruja.livejournal.com 2006-04-26 05:07 pm (UTC)(link)
That's Just really cool... I wish I had more time and motivation for water sports. I used to love canoeing when I was little, never really did the kayaking thing. The whole flipping over kind of freaked me out. But now that I'm older, it just looks like fun.